Monthly Employment Change by Sector

Minnesota's nonfarm economy added 15,600 jobs in January, the largest one-month gain in the seasonally adjusted count of jobs that the state has seen in nearly five years.  Eight sectors gained jobs in January, while only two sectors, financial activities and education and health services, lost jobs.

Trade, transportation and utilities, and professional and business services added 4,000 jobs each in January.  The gains in trade, transportation and utilities were primarily in retail, where employment had remained little-changed throughout the holiday season and therefore brought less than half the usual post-Christmas layoffs, accounting for the strong seasonally adjusted increase in this sector.  The strength in professional and business services was primarily in the temp help industry. 

Manufacturing turned in its first monthly gain in two years (based on revised data) as broad strength in durables offset some declines in non-durables, especially paper products and printing.

Although construction has lost over a third of its workforce in the last four years, it is now beginning to show signs of improvement due to strength in the heavy construction industry.  Residential construction employment, among the hardest hit areas during this recession, has also begun to show tentative signs that job losses are slowing.

Source: Current Employment Statistics (DEED/BLS)

Calendar of scheduled releases.